Keyboard.



J. A. SCH LEICHE R & C. V. WILGUS.

KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION mm man. 1913.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9,1913.

J. A. SCHLEICHER & C. V. WILGUS 1. A SCHLEICHER & c. v WILGUS.

KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 9.- 1913.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 ill? MEN 0 AT m/Er UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. SCHLEIGHER, 0F WILKES-BARBIE, AND CHARLES V. WILGUS, OF KINGSTON,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE ADDER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WILKES- BARBIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

KEYBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN A. SGHLEIGHER and CHARLES V. WILGUS, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Keyboards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to keyboards for calculating machines, and the like, and is an improvement on the invention disclosed in the allowed application of C. V. Wilgus, filed October 16, 1911, Serial No. 655,0le. Said application discloses a flexible and locking keyboard of the key-set type, used on the well-known Wales calculating machines. Thekeystems are notched to form projecting catches which normally lie in line with recesses or slots formed in the outer edges of the locking bars, said bars being held idle by a universal restraining and restoring member. The main drive shaft, as it starts onits forward stroke, withdraws a detaining arm which normally holds the restraining and restoring member efiective, to release the member to the action of a spring, which shifts the member to idle position and enables the locking bars to enter their unrecessed portions in one or the other of the notches in each keystem, above or below the projecting catches thereon, to lock the keys in either raised or depressed position, and. thus prevent attempted alterations or the amount to be registered or printed, after the main drive shaft has passed a predetermined safety point in its forward stroke. 'By arranging the keystems in front and outside or? the locking bars, heavy pressure thereon was liable at times to cause the catch of an undepressed key to slip off the edge of the locking bar, and thus enable the key to be forcibly depressed, which tended to injure and strain mechanism.

Une object of the present inventionis to arrange the keylocking mechanism that pressure, the keystems, after the locking mechanism is in efiective position, will result in improving the locking action, so that an attempt to depress a key after the locking bars have operated will more securely lock the key against depression.

The well-lmown Wales machine a section readily removable and replaceable in the machine. In the device of the prior application referred to, the main drive shaft was turned partway on its forward stroke when the keyboard was inserted in the machine. Otherwise, unless care was taken, the abutment on the restraining and restoring universal bar, by reason of the spring action on said bar, would lie in front of the detaining arm controlled from the main drive shaft, instead of behind it. This not only locked the keyboard, but upon turning the main drive shaft, the upper end of the detaining arm, instead of withdrawing from the abutment, waspressed thereagainst, and was liable to strain and injure the mechanism if persisted in. In case the keyboard was improperly placed in the machine, it was necessary to remove the keyboard and replace it in proper position with the detaining arm in front of the abutment.

Another object of this invention is to relieve the operator of the necessity for care when replacing the lock keyboard in the machine, and to reduce the liability of injury, straining or breakage of the parts heretofore due to improperly inserting the keyboard section in the machine, by enabling the detaining arm to assume 1ts proper position relatively to the restraining and restoring bar, when out ofefiective position relatively to such bar. I To these and other ends, this invention ineludes certain novel features and combi nations, all of which will bemore fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view through a keyboard oi the well-known Wales calculating machine, equipped with the invention. Fig. 2 isa detail prospective of the keyboard alone, parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the detaining arm; Fig. t is a detail prespective, showing a keystem in normal relation with its locking bar; Fig. 5 is a similar View, showing the keystem locked against depression; Fig. 6 is a sec tional plan view of a part of the keyboard, showing the locking bars in idle position; Fig. 7 is a similar ing bars efiective'; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan of a portion of the keyboard, showing the restraining and restoring bar effective to hold iew, showing the lock- Mill the locking bars idle, and Fig, 9 is a similar view, showing the position of the restraining and restoring bar, when the lockbars are effective.

Side frames 1, (Fig. 1) of which one only is shown, support between them, a keyboard section, including a guide plate 2 and frame pieces 3 from which hangers d depend. Keystems 5 arranged in rows,

pass through slots in the guide plate 2 and in channeled cross guides 6 connecting the frame pieces 8. Links 7 pivoted at 8 on the hangers 4, connect the keystems with corresponding; stops 9 projecting" through openings in a housing 10, Depression of a key protrudes the corresponding" stop into the path of an adding" rack, not shown, to determine the advance of said rack and the amount tohe registered or recorded. Latches 11 operate in the well known manner, to lock the keystops in effective position, and when said latches are released by mechanism, not shown, springs 12 restore the keys and stops to normal. The keyboard section is removable as a unit from between the side frames 1, after withdrawing cross rods 13, which hold the keyboard in place.

For a further explanation of the keyboard mechanism, reference may be had to patents to Wales, 768,097, August 28, 1904:, and 797,032, August 15, 1905; McFarland, 842,232, January 29, 1907, and 874L107, December 17, 1907.

Locking bars 14 (Figs. 1 and 8) substantially, co-extensive with and lying,' alone; the respective cross gzuides 6, cooperate with catches 15 formed on the ,front edges of the respective keystems 5, (which are notched as at 16 and 17), to lock the keys in either their normal or depressed positions, to prevent any attempt to change the amount set up on the keyboard, after the mechanism, in its operation, has passed a point where such changes may be made without rendering a false registration liable.

To prevent the keystems from being" forced down by excessive pressure thereon, which might tend to cause the catches to slip ed the edges of the locking bars, said keystems pass through confining apertures 18 in the locking" hare 14:, said apertures being open at one end, as at '19, to form passages normally registering with the slots in the cross guides 8, to permit the catches 15 to pass therethrough from a position above the locking; bars to a position below the locking; bars, when the keys are depressed. The rear edges of the keystones 5 lie closely adjacent the rear walls of the apertures. and the walls or" the apertures form latches or tongues 20, which, whenthe locking hare are slid endwise, (toward the left in 8);, enter either the notches l? the catches 15 or those keys which remanormal, or notches 3L8 above the catches of .the depressed keys, to lockthe former keys against depression and the last-named keys against restoration. Excessive pressure on the keystems will improve the locking action, because of the inability of the keystems to shift in any other stones 5, which are guided in slots in the channel bars 6. The closed inner ends and the side walls of the slots in the channel bars prevent tlexure of the keystems, in all directions except forwardly, but it the keystem yields forwardly, it only forces the tongue 15, further over the latch 20 and thus serves to more firmly maintain the locking" action.

Means to hold the locking bars lli'idle against the tension of drive springs 21, (Fig, 6) which press against ears 22 fast with the'locking bars and projecting; through slots 23 in the cross guides 6, comprise a detaining arm 24: (Fig. 1) journaled on a rod 25, and lying in the path of an abutment 28 (Figs. 8 and 9) on a universal restraining and restoring bar 27 extending; transversely of the locking" bars from front to rear of the keyboard. The edge of the universal bar 27 normally lies in the paths of projections 28 on the respective locking bars 14, or their cars 22, tohold them idle. A spring 29 tends to shift the universal bar to bring cam recesses 30 onihaid universal bar into registry with the projections 28 on (not shown) connected to the main drive shaft 31, said shaft having" an arm 32 connected by a link 38 with the detaining" arm 24: so that the arm is positively driven from the main shaft.

The shaft 31, on its forward stroke, swings the detaining arm 2% away from the abutment 26 on the universal bar, (see dotted lines Fig. l), which follows the detaining arm, due to its drive spring 29, to bring the cam recesses 30 into registry with the projections 28 on the locking bars, whereupon springs 21 forcethe locking bars endwise to interpose the latches or tongues 20 thereof above the catches 15 of the depressed keys and below the catches oi? the remaining keys, to lock the keyboard against manipulation. The drive shaft 31 on its return, presses the detaining arm 24: against the abutment 28 to return the restraining and restoring her 27 against the tension of its spring 29. The

Ill-5 its walls of the recesses 30 in the edge of the restraining and restoring bar during the return of the latter, wipe against the projections 28 of the locking bars 14 to force said locking ars to idle position, and release the depresse keys to the action of their restoring springs 12. Said restoring bar also restrains the locking barsin idle position until released on the next operation.

' Obviously, if the keyboard'is removed ment, which might possibly prevent the op-' eration of the machine.

To avoid rocking the detaining arm forwardly, prior to inserting the keyboard, which procedure was not always observed by novices, and also to reduce any possibility of injury to or strain of the parts due to an improper insertionof the keyboard, the detaining arm 24 is made flexible, by arranging its upperend to yield in one direction, as by jointing a detent 34 thereto, (Figs. 1 and 3). Said detent comprises a finger having a lip 35 to contact the abutment 26, the

body portion of said detent being folded or bent over to form two cheeks 36 which embrace the arm 24 and form an elbow joint pivoted at 37. In case the keyboard is inserted with the abut ent 26 in front of the lip 35 on the upper end of the detent, the ,main drive shaft when turned forwardly, will press the detent against the abutment. The detent will rook rearwardly, and wipe under the abutment, after which a spring 37 snaps the detent to effective position in front of the abutment, the pressure of which latter against the rear face of the lip 35 aids the sprin to hold the folded edge of the body oft e'detent as a sto against the upper forward edge of the etaining arm 24, which prevents flexure in the opposite direction and enables the arm to return the universal bar to, and hold it in, eifective position when the main shaft is restored to home position.

Changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a calculating machine, the combination with a main drive shaft, and a lock key board, including a series of keys having 55 stems; of locking bars having apertures to confine the keystems; latches on the bars to lock the keys; and means controlled by the main drive shaft to hold the latches normally idle.

2. In a lock keyboard, the combination with a series of keys having notched stems; of locking bars having apertures throu h. which the keystems pass; and means to shift the locking bars and their apertures relatively to the keystems to confine the keystems in the apertures.

3. In a lock keyboard, the combination with a series of keystems, and catches on the stems; of locking bars having angularlyshaped apertures through which the key- 30 stems pass; the catches normally alining with one branch-of the respective angular apertures; and means to shift the'locking bars relatively to the keystems to interrupt said alinement.

4. The combination with a keyboard; locking means for the keys; and a restraining and restoring member to control the locking means; of a positively driven device fiexible in one direction to control the restraining. and restoring member.

5. The combination with a keyboard; locking means for the keys; and a restraining and restoring member to control the locking means; of a positively driven arm to control the restraining and restoring member;and a flexible detent on said arm to hold the member against shifting.

6. The combination with a keyboard; locking means for the keys; and a restrain- 10 ing and restoring member to control the locking means; of a positively driven arm to control the restraining and restoring member; a detent on said arm to hold the member against shifting; said detent flexibly connected to the arm; and a spring to restore the detent to efi'ective position.

7. The combination with a keyboard; locking devices for the keys; and a restraining and restoring member to control the locking devices; of a positively driven arm; a detent on said arm; means on the member normally contacted by the detent to hold the member against shifting; said detent being flexible to ride under said means when neces- 15 sary, and to thereafter assume its effective position.

. 8. The combination with a keyboard; locking means for the keys; and a restraining and restoring member for said means; of a positively driven arm; and a flexible detent on said arm to control the restrain ing and restoring member, said detent having a stop to contact the arm, and limit the throw of the detent .in one direction; and 5 means to hold the stop yieldingly against the arm. I

9. In a lock keyboard, the combination with a series of keys having stems; of look ing bars having apertures within which lie 13o the keystems; latches on the locking bars to lock the keys and prevent their escape from the apertures; a restraining and restoring member to control the locking bars; a positively-driven arm; a flexible detent on said arm; and means to arrest the detent in one direction, to render it effective to control leading to the outer edge of the locking bar;

catches on the keystems shiftable through the reduced openings in the bars to lie above or below the bars; and a main drive shaft to control the locking bars.

11. In a multiple order keyboard, the

combination With a series ofkeys and keystems for each denominational order, arranged in rows from front to rear of the keyboard; of apertured locking bars extending transversely across the keyboard and having reduced openings leading from the apertures to the outer edges of the bars; the keystems being notched and confined Within the apertures; the portions of the keystems between the notches forming catches shiftable through the reduced 0 enings in the bars; .and a main drive sha t to control the lateral shifting of the locking bars from their idle to their efiective positions and vice versa.

Signed this 5th day ofJune, 1913.

JOHN A. SCHLEICHER. CHARLES V. WILGUS. In the presence of E. M. Dn'rnron, RALPH S. WARFIELD. 

